Fluid remote-control device



Feb; 5, 1946. E. c, MYERS I FLUID REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 16', 1941 3 Sheeis-Shegt 1 INVENTOR Feb. 5, 1946. E. c. MYERS FLUID REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1941 w a Y 7 3 5 5 T N 4 6 N R z w a w w 3 N T 7 l M Q 2 ur m .o x 7 llvvr w 7 m 7 r 7, O W. in J g 1 v v a 4r 4/ 7 w rix ,8 5 m W/ I u. z a i i w KI J, m 1. J 3: |\l Ill; F 5 m" u." \x n u? 1 I w m F m 4/7 3 A 7 2 0%? 0 5 20 M. .2 5 M, N 3 32 Feb-5, 1946.

E. c. MYERS FLUID REMOTE CONTROL DEVI CE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 16, 1941 Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID- REMO TE CONTRQL DEVICE Edward C'. Myers, Winnetka, 11L Application October 1.6, 1941 Serial Nb; 415 ,191-

(Cl. (SW-54.6),

2 Claimsis to provide a steering gear which is actuated by fluid pressure. A further object is to provide a steering gear that is so constituted as to provide a direct and straight-line pressure on the parts thereof toavoid side-thrust and binding.

Further objects are to provide in a fluidactuated remote control a novel'- combination of fluid pressure producing meansand. fluid motor.

in which the two units may be spaced apartat a substantial distance without afiecting. the operation thereof; such a combination in which the only necessary connection between the pressure producin means and the motor consists of a pair of small tubes; such construction which is self-contained; an improved. pump including an improved piston, packings, and piston actuating means; an improved motor; and expedients for accomplishing the above outlined objects- A further object is to provide novel means for initially filling or loading such a. system. with fluid; for puttingv the fluid under an initial pressure; and for maintaining or restoring such pressure as necessary.

Similar reference-characters have been applied to the same parts. throughout the following specification and annexed drawings. in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, diagrammatic in character, and showing the device as applied. to a steering. gear, as, for. example in a motor truck, tractor, or other vehicle.

Fig. 2. is a longitudinal sectional view of certain pump mechanism indicated in Fig. 71..

Fig. 3 is a similar. view of motor mechanism indicated. in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken. on the. line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken ontheline 5-5 of Fig. 3-.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a. modification of the construction shown in Fig. 5. 3

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken 0 the line l-'a" of Fig. 3.

As seen in Fig. i, the illustrative embodiment of the invention includes a pump or pressure producing unit generally designated as Hi, connected, as by tubes or other conduits H and ['2 with a; motor unit generally designated as l e, in thepr'esent instance" the pump being actuated by the steering wheel H of a motor vehicle; and themotor actuating the steering linkage ordinarily associated. with the front axle P5" of the vehicle. The pump unit is' supported, for example, from the dashboard l6" of the vehicle by means of abracket F1, or from any other convenient portion of the vehicle within the con, templ'ation of the invention.v

It is to be understood that, while the invention is shown: and described as relating to' a steering gear for a vehicle, it. is not intended to limit the invention to such use, it being contemplated that the invention will" be adaptable to any situation where it is desired to actuate a movable member at a distance from a control station, or in fact in any location, particul'arl'y'where there is substantial resistance to be overcome and. relatively high efiiciency in the control is desirable-to minimize manual efiort on the part of the operator.

Returning- .to the pump or pressure producing unit',.in'the presentillustrative embodiment this comprises a cylinder portion Hi which is. clamped in a clamping..porti'on 1 9' of above mentioned bracket IT, asfor example by acap fifi' fixed with portion I9 by screws or thelike 2!, although it is contempl'atedthat other means of suitableor well-knowntype may be used for securely supporting the cylinder within the purview ofethe invention.

Cylinder it, as more particularly shown in Fig. 2,. is closed at its ends. by heads 22 and 23 and a. piston generally designated as 2 3' is slidably arranged in. the. cylinderand is moved axially therein. by rotation of a shaft 25- aswill appear.

Head Z'ZI is inthe: present instance, although not necessarily, threaded and. engaged with. cylind'er 18 at. 25 and has a rim portion 2! enclosing a collangfiangeorthrust element 28- fixed with shaft 25 as by apin- 29. Collar 2-8- is retained within rim'Z'i by a ring- 30,. which inturn is retained against rim 2.! by-screws or other suitable fastening. means SI -3L. The dimensions are so chosen that head 22., flange 23,. rim. 2-1., and ring SEicons-titute a form of thrust bearing. providing for free rotation of shaft 25, but preventing appreciable axial movement thereof.

Shaft 25' in the present instance hasabove mentioned. steering wheel is fixed therewith and accordingly is rotated by the wheel. Shaft 25 extends into cylinder 8 and has a threadedportion 32 for actuating pistoni2 i, the thread being preferably, although not necessarily, of the type having an outwardly tapering cross section, such for example as the well-known Acme thread.

Piston 24 i made in the present instance in elongated form, having a length somewhat in excess of the desired piston stroke. It has an internally threaded portion or element so as to be reciprocated by the rotation of shaft 25 and threaded portion 32, and is provided with means to prevent rotation of the piston and threaded element with shaft 25, in the present instance consisting of a channel 33, formed as more particularly shown in Fig. 4, between ribs 34 and 35. Channel 33 in the present instance is engaged by a stud or finger 36 anchored in any suitable manner in cap 29. The fit between stud 36 and channel 33 may be as close as necessary to allow free axial movement of the piston while preventing appreciable rotation thereof.

It is contemplated that anti-friction expedients of suitable or well-known form may be substituted fOr thrust bearings 28, 30, eto.,,or channel 33 and stud 36, or both, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

It will now be apparent that a construction has been provided in which all material loads are in an axial direction so that there is no appreciable tendency toward deflection or springing of the parts to cause misalignment, binding in the threads or bearings, Or the like, common to many types of manually actuated steering gears, for example. The axial load, owing to the tapered configuration of the threads on portion 32, will tend to center this portion correctly in the internal threads 31 of piston 24, so a to give the proper thread clearance, both at the top and root, and a true bearing between the working faces. A manually operated gear is thus provided which is both highly eflicient, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

In remote control gears of this general type it is important that leakage of the actuating fluid be virtually eliminated, and the construction of the necessary packing, therefore, is a matter for con sideration. Packings for pistons in fluid actuated or hydraulic brakes, rams, controls, etc., are generally well-known, but in the present instance, as seen in Fig. 2, provision is made to isolate the packing from rotatable shaft 25. Thus, head 22 has-a sleeve 38 projecting therefrom axially of cylinder l8, and, in similar manner head 23 has a sleeve 39 projecting, also axially, toward sleeve 38. These sleeves approach each other approximately at the center of cylinder 18, but are spaced sufficiently to receive threaded portion 32 between them. Sleeves 38 and 39 accommodate shaft 25 with the desired amount of clearance, preferably, although not necessarily with running clearance merely, forming along bearing for shaft 25 to support it against springing under side thrust developed in wheel 14. It is contemplated that greater clearance may be provided, however, and the side thrust accommodated in other wellknown or suitable bearing means within the scope of the invention. As above noted, binding will be practically eliminated by the self-centering tendency of the threads on portion 32.

Piston 24 has head portions 40 and 4| constituting the ends of the piston and supporting the packings, it being necessary to describe only one, since the packings are preferably identical on the two ends. Head portion 40 has a ring 42 supported from or connected with head portion 40 by screws or the like 4343, and retaining between itself sion flanges 45 and 46.

Flange 45 fits within the bore of cylinder l 8 and prevents leakage of fluid between itself and the cylinder, while flange 46 fits about sleeve 38 and prevents leakage between itself and the sleeve. In this manner the packing is subjected only to linear motion as piston 24 moves, and is thus subjected to less wear than would be the case if it bore directly on rotating shaft 25.

In instances where a packing such as 46 contacted a rotating shaft, as 25, the almost imperceptable tool marks on the shaft have been found to act as a screw pump when the shaft rotated, and to actually propel the fluid through the joint intended to be made fluid-tight by the packing. This action is avoided in the present construction by allowing only linear movement between the packing and sleeve 38. The packed joint then remains substantially perfectly tight, and there is no appreciable loss of fluid.

Although various suitable types of packings are contemplated, in the preferred form illustrated flanges 45 and 46 are forced outwardly and inwardly, respectively, by any fluid pressure developed in cylinder l8 between head 22 and ring 42, so as to be forced against the sealing surfaces of the cylinder and sleeve 38 with a pressure which varies in accordance with the fluid pressure, and therefore in accordance with the required sealing pressure.

Lubrication of threads 32 and 3! is preferably effected by introducing a quantity of lubricant into the space between thread 3'! and sleeves 38 and 39, and this may be replenished at any time through the clearance between the shaft 25 and the sleeves 38 and 39. For convenience a suitable or well-known type of fitting or nipple 41 is applied, in the present instance, to a plug element 48 adapted to close the opening 49 in plug 23 which receives sleeve 39. A suitable or well-known type of pressure lubricator or gun applied to fitting 41 will accordingly serve to fill the clearance spaces with lubricant.

The described construction results in pump chambers 59 and 5!, which are alternately put in compression, upon reciprocating movement of plunger 24.

Chamber 50 in the present instance has a fitting 52 which is for convenience provided with a filler plug 53, the fitting being fastened in the wall of cylinder l8 in any suitable manner, and connecting with above mentioned tube l2, and chamber 5| has a fitting 54 having a filler plu 55 and preferably fastened in the wall of cylinder l8 in a similar manner and connected with above mentioned tube I I.

Pipes H and I2, as above explained, lead to a motor A3, in the present instance comprising a cylinder 56 closed at its ends by plug-like heads 51 and 58, threaded into or otherwise suitably fixed with cylinder 53, the joint being made fluidtight in any suitable or preferred manner. Heads 51 and 58 constitute guides for a rod 59 arranged to actuate the mechanism to be controlled, and in the present instance constituting one of the rods of the steering mechanism of the vehicle, commonly known as the tie-rod. Rod 59 in the present instance has fastened to its mid-portion a piston generally designated as 60 and which is forced by the fluid pressure in one direction or the other in accordance with the direction in which the pressure of the fluid is imposed thereon. Rod 59 is moved by the piston and effects the desired adjustment or motion of the controlled mechanism.

The pressure on piston 65 induces a reaction aeeaasa on cylinder heads '1 and 58', tending to movethe cylinder in adirection opposite to of the piston and rod, and this, in the present instance; isresistedby a studor pin B l, integral or otherwise fixed with a pador the like- 62 welded or'suitablyfixed with cylinder 55 so asto be rigid therewith. Stud 5'! extends downwardly and 'i's journalesl in a slide-block 63', slidable in a-slotfit'; Fig. 7-, inaplate 65' which is adapted to support the weightof motor It. Slot B4 is disposed trans verse to-abovementioned tie-rod 59; and accord ingly allowsfor bodily movement of the motor to and fromaxle I5 but prevents movement in the direction of tie-rod 59; Angular movement of'motor l t is'also provided by the journa-ling of stud 6| in block 6-3 Other suitable or well--' known slide bearing'constructions are content pl'ated a'sequivalent'.

A washer 66 is preferably interposed between pad= 6-2 and plate 65- to assist inimposing the weight of motor I3 on the plate, and a similar washer fil is disposed belowplate 6'5 and held in place by a nut" 68; which may be of the castel-- lated type, and prevented from loosening by a pin 69. In this-manner a substantially straight-- line thrust relation is set up between rod- 59 and plate 65 Plate 6 5, asmorepa-rticularly shown in Fig. 1,.

iscarried in the present instance by'aradius rod structure lo;- fixed with axle l5 as=- by bolts H and 12*; In this manner tie-rod 59' isrelieved of the weight of motor [3, but cylinder 56 is pre-- vented from moving in adirection opposite to rod 59 by means substantially in line with the rod. A-construction is shown in Fig. 6 in which the holding: means is completely centered with the rod so that all side thrust, or rocking tendency on the part of the motor is eliminated; Thus a plate 13, supported in a manner similar to above mentioned plate .65; or in any suitable manner has fixed therewith as by screws 14-44 a yoke [5; so as to be rigid with the plate, an attaching ring 1-6 being'weld'ed or otherwise suitably fixed with acylinder Tl. Ring ll carries an upper stud E 8 journaledin a slide block [9: slidabl'e ina slottll -in yoke l5,.washers -8 I and 82, and anut 83 and. pin-t4- beingapplied to stud 18- in the same manner as in the case of' above described stud-ti In like manner ring Ti carriesa lower stud- 55 journaled in a slide block 85 slidable in a'slot 8 1 in plate '73, washers 83' and 89 and a nut 90 and pin 9! being used as above. Cylinder l5 thus rests on plate 13; but is'supported against: endwise movement both above and*below;.so that there: is noreaction tending to cause endwise rocking thereof.

Other means for preventing undesired movementof motor cylinder 55 while permitting-such freedom asmay be necessary iscontemplated. as within the scope of the invention, whichis: not to. be taken. as limited by: anything: in this: description'.

Returning to a. more. comprehensive description. of motor l 3;.cylinder. 58 has a fitting. 92 suitably fixed: in the wall thereof, and'to. which is connected: one. end of a flexible tube or conduit 93,. which is connected by means of. a fitting 94 \VithnfijbOVE mentioned pipe II. In the. case. of; a sprung vehicle, tube 93. provides for relative movement between axle 15 and thebody of the vehiclewithout-excessive flexing of pipe lil. Substantially identical construction is' used at the opposite end of cylinder 56-, a fitting 95' being suitably fixed in the wall-of cylinder 56 and' corn nectediwith a flexible tube": 953'- connectsby means of a fitting 9T with above mentioned pipe l2. It is contemplated in unsprung vehicles; or in situations wh'ere there is=- little if anyrelative movement betweem motor cylinderand pumpcylinder l8 flexible conduits 93 and 916,-t'o getherwith their attaching fittings: may be omitted; and pipes H and" I 2 attached" directly to cylinder 56 aswill beunderstood.

Head 5 1" has aboss: 98 within cylinder 56': and which provides a bore 89 for the passageof rod 59 Bore" 99 is enlarged at Ifllb toreceivea pack!- ing 1M of anyv suitableltype; but; preferably ot the lmultiplei Chevron? type which tends: to; seal itself withv the necessary" degree or tightness: for the prevailing pressure. A- packingt nut N12 is.

threaded or: otherwise: suitably" inaintaineclcv in bore: enlargement l to and: serves: to: retain packing Hil and? provide additional. bearing: surface. on ro'd: 59: A settscr'ew" or'thet like Nit istpro Vide'd-in head 5:1: for maintaining thezadiustment; of: unt l 91.

Head. 553i is preferably identical,.. and: need.- not befurther'fdescribeds.

Piston. 601 may be of. any suitable type;. but in the presentillustrative embodiment; comprises asleeve-like elementv [04 which: is; slidab'le: on rod 59and permanently located: thereon: in the desired position.aszbyweldingqat; I05 and. lit-6; Portion I'M has. a. head or: fian'gez portion. IE1; and is externally threaded". at H18. A nut portion. "It is threaded on sleeve. Hi ls and hasea flange. portion Hil opposed: toi'fi'angei [011, and'packingsior. cup leathers H1 and. H2: are clamped between flanges; H11 and H105, a: metal or: other. suitable washer. 1 l3 being: interposed-to. space the. packingsa. Appreciableaclearance preferably GXlStSIbB- tween washer." H3: and; cylinder 562'so that pistonis free to 'fi'n'd its own centerv in" the cylinder andiravoid any binding aswa result of unavoidable misalignment betweenthe cylinder and rod 59;

It will be..noted that there; is no tendency toward. sidewi'se displacement: of the piston. or rod due to: the: workin pressure on. the: parts, so that a suhstanti'ally straight line: thrust; is effected; providing-amotor onrelatively high eiiiciency;

S'u'chxaa motor coupled with a highlyeficient pump unit, as' above described; and applied: as a steeringfgear to at heavytractor: required only a.- fraction of the effort at the: steering? wheel to perform: theequivalent amountz'of steeringfeifect on the frontwheelaas' did a conventionalworm and sector steeringv gear; While all the; factors entering: intothe comparison may notbex known; it appears quite: clearly that. the important consideration is the lack of any bindingirr anyof the parts caused by the working stresses. As above described, the parts-of? the present? device tend towardmore; perfect alignment as the forces are applied, so 'thatasurprisingly large percenta'ge of the" work applied'to the steering wheel appears as useful work at the steering spindles, or other driven elementil The system maybe charged: with 'pressurelfiuid inl any: well-known- .manner, in the: present instance by means of: a high pressure gun-of the type-well-known for lubricating chassis bearings and the like: Forthis-purpose: fittings or nipples generally designated as: l 114* and H 5 are provided and" preferably inserted in: the". wall: of. cylinder 56- at any convenient points adjacent the respective ends thereof so thatthe chambers on either side of pistonztll may be filled independently: Asis well-known, it is: important eliminate virtually- 'alliltl'ie air present: in:- th'e system, when. it

is filled with the hydraulic fluid, and this may be accomplished in the disclosed structure as follows. r I

In the normal inclined position of the steering column, or in the present instance pump unit III, with plunger 24 at the bottom, corresponding to a full right turn, chamber 51 will be much reduced in size, piston 24 being substantially contiguous with fitting 54. Fitting 54therefore enters the reduced chamber 5I at substantially the highest point thereof. The tie rod 59 is placed in the extreme left turn position and the space at the right of piston 50 in motor I3 is filled through fitting H5, plug 55 being removed from fitting54 so that the air in motor I3 may escape through fitting 95, pipe I2, and fitting 54. When the motor chamber is full, hydraulic fluid will fill pipe I2 and its connected parts and flow through fitting 54 into chamber 5I of pump II), the airin the chamber escaping through the opening caused by the removal of plug 55. Note that at this stage the pump and motor are not in the proper relative position, motor I3 being in the extreme left turn position, While pump I is in the extreme right turn position. When all the air is expelled from pump chamber plug 55, is replaced and hydraulic fluid is continued to be injected through fitting I I5, while steering wheel I4 is turned toward the left to enlarge chamber 5I. This procedure is continued until the pump plunger has been moved from its extreme right turn position to its extreme left turn position, chamber 5| then attaining the maximum size and being full of hydraulic fluid. At this point the pump and motor occupy their correct relative positions. The left-hand end of motor cylinder 56 is next filled with hydraulic fluid through fitting H4, the air escaping through the opening provided by the removal of plug 53 from fitting 52 in pump cylinder I8. When the left-hand chamber of motor I3 is full, hydraulic'fluid will fill fitting 92 and pipe II, flowing into chamber 50 through fitting 52, and the air in chamber 50 escaping also through fitting 52. After all the air has escaped, as indicated by a lack of bubbles at fitting 52, plug 53 is replaced, and additional fluid is preferably injected to put the system under an initial pressure. In this way all slack or lost motion in the hydraulic portion of the system is eliminated. a

In case of slight leakage, more hydraulic fluid may be introduced at any time through either fitting H4 or H5, although, as is well-known, packings of the type disclosed are efficient enough to prevent virtually all leakage, so that any initial pressure will be retained for a substantial length of time.

It is contemplated that a suitable or well-known type of pressure gun or pump may be permanentlyv connected into any convenient part of either or both of pipes II and I 2, or the pump or motor chambers connected therewith, so that if slack develops the condition may be corrected immediately by a few strokes on the pumps. It is preferable to have two pumps, one for each set of chambers, since the repeated injection of fluid into one pump would tend to force motor piston 60 toward one 'side, and accordingly get it out of its proper relation with pump piston 24. v

In order to positively hold the pressure fluid, fittings H4 and H5 are preferably of aspecial type, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the fittings being alike, it being necessary to describe only one.

Fitting I I4 comprises a body portion I I6 having a' bore I I! for receiving fiuidfrom'a gun.ap plied to a seat portion H8; Bore H1 is enlarged at II 9 to receive a ball or check valve I20 forced against a seat I2! by a spring I22 compressed between ball I20 and an abutment I23. Body portion H6 in the present instance has an externally threaded portion I24 with which is enaged a cap I25 which may be applied after the injecting operation is completed, to insure the retention of the hydraulic fluid by the fitting in spite of any imperfection in the seal effected by the check valve I28. Cap I25 may seat on a gasket I26 within the contemplation of the invention.

The operation of the above described structure is thought to be apparent from the above description, the chambers 58 and 5i, pipes II and I2, and the spaces on either side of piston 59 being filled with pressure fluid as above described, rotating of wheel I4 turns shaft 25, screw 32, and, since plunger 24 is prevented from rotating by stud 36, forces the plunger to move axially of cylinder I8. Obviously rotation of wheel I4 in one direction will cause upward movement of plunger 24, while rotation in the opposite direction will cause downward movement of the plunger. Assuming downward movement, which would result from turning of wheel I4 for travel to the right in the illustrative construction, fluid will be compressed in chamber 5I. Since the fluid ordinarily used is incompressible it is forced out through fitting 54 and pipe I2, entering cylinder 56 through flexible tube 96 and causing leftward movement, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, of piston 60. This accomplishes the desired controlling movement of rod 95, and piston 60 in addition forces fluid from the left end of cylinder 56 out through flexible tube 68 and pipe II to chamber 50 of the pump unit to fill the space behind the retreating plunger 24.

In the present instance the proportions of the cylinders are so chosen that the volume of fluid forced back to one end of the pump will be exactly equal to the space vacated by the piston. This may be effected by making the two ends of each cylinder identical, or by making the corresponding ends of the pump and motor, namely, the ends which are connected by the pipes II and I2 and their connections, of equal ratio. Thus if the displacement of one end of the pump per unit of travel is, for example 1.5 times that of the end of the motor cylinder which is connected to it, the other end of the pump cylinder, while it need not be equal to the first end, is also 1.5 times the displacement of the other end of the motor cylinder. Under these conditions no provision need be madefor any compensation for changes in volume of fluid caused by movement of the pistons.

In the present instance the shaft 25 and also the piston rod 59 have been run entirely through their respective cylinders, so that the above described relation is readily achieved. If it were desired not to run these members entirely through the cylinders, however, it could be readily done by making sure that the ends containing the members were connected together, and that those not having the members were connected together, the sizes of the members being so chosen as to maintain the same ratio of displacement, as above explained. 7 It will be noted that, in the preferred structure disclosed the forces developed are substantially all axial, particularly those developed in the pumpin unit, and that these forces and their reactions tend to center the plunger 24 on the threaded portion 32 so that the theoretical contacts between the threaded elements are closely achieved, and no appreciable side thrust is developed to cause binding between the plunger and cylinder. In similar manner very little side thrust is developed in motor cylinder 56, what there is being readily handled by the generous bearings which are readily provided in the shape of packing nuts I02. Furthermore in the embodiment of Fig. 6, even this is eliminated.

Such side pressure as is occasioned by the weight of the parts is considered negligible, in comparison to the actuating forces set up by the operation of the apparatus.

The self-aligning property of the disclosed structure results in an unusually high efficiency in the screw, so much so that it is possible in the actual embodiment to cause wheel is to spin by exerting an end thrust on rod 58. In view of this high efficiency it is contemplated that the controlling functions might be reversed, for certain applications, for example linear movement at one point could be caused to produce rotary movement at a remote point by reversing the functions of the motor and pump units. It is also contemplated that identical units, as two pumps such as It could be arranged at the ends of a system, movement imparted to one being substantially duplicated in the other. In like manner two units as i3 could be combined into a system and function in an analogous manner.

It is contemplated that variations on the disclosed construction will occur to one skilled in the art, and it is not intended to limit the invention to the device disclosed, or in fact in any manner, except as required by the appended claims.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured b Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fluid actuated apparatus a cylinder having heads, inwardly directed sleeves extending axially of the cylinder and approaching each other at the center of the cylinder, an actuating shaft within the sleeves and having a threaded part between the inner ends of the sleeves and of a diameter greater than the outer surfaces of the sleeves, an elongated hollowpiston disposed about the sleeves and threaded part and bridging the space between the sleeves, said piston having an internally threaded bore of a size sufficient to pass outside of said sleeves, packings engaging the interior of the cylinder and the exterior of the sleeves to exclude piston actuated fluid from said threaded part, and said piston being engaged with said threaded part for axial movement upon rotation of said threaded part, and partially enclosing said sleeves, means for substantially preventing axial movement of the shaft and means for substantially preventing rotation of the piston.

2. In a pump unit for a fluid actuated control system a cylinder having heads, inwardly directed sleeves extending axially of the cylinder and approaching each other at the center of the cylinder, a piston in the cylinder of a length in excess of the desired piston stroke and having an internal thread characterized by an inwardly tapering cross section, and disposed within a bore in said piston of a size such that said internal thread can pass freely outside of said sleeves, an actuating shaft within the sleeves and having an enlarged externally threaded part between the inner ends of the sleeves and of a size to extend diametrically beyond the outer surfaces of 'said sleeves into engagement with said internal thread, the thread on said externally threaded part being characterized by an outwardly tapering cross section, a packing at either end of said piston to form with said cylinder and said sleeves a pair of displacement chambers, said bore bridging the space between the inner ends of the sleeves to exclude piston actuated fluid from said threads, said cylinder, said shaft and said piston being disposed substantially on a common center line whereby the tapering cross section of the threads of the shaft and piston will cause accurate centering of the piston and shaft and avoid deleterious distortion and binding of the parts, means for substantially preventing axial movement of the shaft and means for substantially preventing rotation of the piston.

EDWARD C. MYERS. 

